Buffer for ships.



A. MONTANARI.

BUFFER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25, 1915.

1, 182,400. Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

A. MONTANAR}. BUFFER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25,1915.

m m T 9 Vow huh LT H d m n3 6 LIJ a D1 I I a w k! I A MONTANARI.

BUFFER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25,1915.

1 182,400, Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEE SSSSS EET 3.

ANGELO MONTANARI, 0F. PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

BUFFER. FOR SHIPS.

Application filed. August 25, 1915. Serial No. 47,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANGELO MoNTANARI, of Pensacola, in the county ofEscambia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Buffers for Ships; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

The object of my invention i to provide simple and improved means forattachment to a collier which will enable it to approach a battleship orother vessel and to be tied thereto without danger of damagingeithervessel, such means comprising a series of spring mattresses upon whichare mounted outwardly-extending yielding bufiers' which carry bufferwheels which are designed to contact with the vessel to be coaled, eachof such wheels having mounted in its periphery a series of rollers whoseaxes are transverse of the axis of the wheel, this arrange mentpermitting of relative anti-frictional movements between the vessels invertical and horizontal lines. i y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of aship and collier showing my improvement attached to one side of thelatter. Fig. 2 is an .end

view of two vessels (parts being broken away) with a buffer betweenthem. Fig. 3 is a face view of the supporting mattress. Fig. 1 is a planview with the buffer wheels in section. Fig. 5 is an end View with partsin section. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the transversely arranged rollerson the buffer or contact wheel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a battleship or other vessel tobe coaled and 2 a collier. Secured to the latter on one side and in anypreferred manner are a series of spring mattresses 3 of skeletonformation, each mattress comprising a base formed of channel irons 4,slightly curved at their Outer ends, and cross-bars 5, the latter beingsu'fliciently resilient to permit the base to ac-' commodate itself tothe contour of the collier. The mattress also embodies an outer frame 6having a series of bars 7 parallelling the channel irons 4, and crossmembers 8 at the ends of the bars 7 The base and outer frame areappropriately braced and have interposed between them a series of coiledsprings 9 which surround the connecting bolts between the base and theouter frame.

Specification of Letters Patent.

the latter by countersunk screws.

Patented May 9, 1916.

spring-pressed plungers 13, each of which, at

its outer ends is provided with a pivoted bearing-box 1 1. Horizontallyalined boxes support the'shaft 15 of a buffer wheel 16, one of thelatter being placed between "each pairof plungers. In the periphery ofeach buffer wheel are a series of circumferentially arranged grooves 17in which are mounted roller bearings 18, the axes of the latter beingtransverse to the axis of the wheel. The grooves have overhanging wallsand are equipped with ball-bearings. Between each of the rollers 18 is aspacing friction roller 19. The rollers 18 may be inserted in thegrooves in'any preferred manner, for'instance, a portion of one ofltheoverhanging walls of each groove maybe cut away and provided with afiller 20,,the outerface of which is fiushwith the periphery of'thewheel, this filler being fastened to For the purpose of connecting thebnfiers to each other and to the collier I have shown straps 21 pivotedto the superposed frame-work on the mattress.

In operation, any required number of bufiers may be employed. Each issecured to the collier by cables attached to the pivoted straps 21. Bothvessels are provided with the usual fore and aft line to prevent undueback and forth movement. Any relative bumping movement between the twovessels will be taken up by the plungers 13 and by the spring mattress.Should the approach of the two vessels be at an angle the wheels 16 willsquare themselves to the battleship, the pivoted bearings 14: permittingan independent or relative movement between the plungers which supportthe wheel without interfering with the rotary movement of the wheel.Friction between the two vessels is negligible, up and down motion beingcompensated for by the wheel 16 and anti-friction members mounted onthe.

vessels to approach as closely as necessary, and permittting a conveyerto be placed crosswise of the two vessels, the close proximity of thelatter also obviating the necessity of securing the conveyor to thebattles 1 I claim as my invention:

1. A buffer for ships comprising a resilient base, shock absorbers,rotary contact members carried by said shock absorbers,

. ent base, shock absorbing plungers, rotary contact members, pivotedbearings therefor mounted on said plungers, and anti-frictionmembersmounted on the peripheries of said rotary members. 7

5. A buffer for ships comprising a resilient base, shock absorbingplungers, horizontally-arranged rotary contact members, pivfoted bearingboxes therefor mounted on 'Slld. plungers, and antl-frictlon membersmounted inthe peripheries of said rotary members, the aXes of saidanti-friction members being transverseto the axis of said rotarymembers.

6. A buffer for ships comprising a resilient base, spring-pressedplungers, pivoted bearings on said plungers, a contact wheel having itsaXle mounted in said bearings and a series of circumferentially arrangedrollers on the face of said wheels.

7. A buifer for ships comprising a resilient base, spring-pressedplungers, pivoted bearings on said plungers, a contact Wheel having itsaxle horizontally supported in said bearings, and a series ofcircumferentially arranged anti-friction rollers mounted on the face ofsaid wheel.

8. A buffer for ships comprising a resilient base, spring-pressedplungers, pivoted bearings on said plungers, a contact wheel having itsaXle horizontally supported in said bearings and a series ofcircumferentially arranged spaced-apart anti-friction rollers mounted onthe face of said wheel, the axes of said rollers being transverse of theWheel aXle,and bearings interposed between said rollers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesess.

v ANGELO MONTANARI.

Witnesses V 1 W. A. BLOUNT, K. B. RADGLIFFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissionerof Patents,

Washington, D. G.

